23.

which hall then be pronounc'd upon Serm. 2. all the workers of iniquity, do very Matt. 7. naturally lead me to treat of the Certainty, Greatness and Eternity of Hell Torments; the first of which is imply'd in those words, Then fhall he, Chrift the Judge of the World, fay unto them on the left hand, the wicked, Depart from me, ye curfed, &c. The fecond, in thofe, Depart from me, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels; and the third and laft in the word Everla Sting;

And I hope I fhall not be thought tedious, if I discourse somewhat large ly (tho' with all convenient Brevi ty) upon these points: which are points of the highest moment, and importance to Religion and the Souls of Men; as being Motives which have a much furer and more powerful Influence over the Minds and Actions of Men, and which more effectually tend to reduce them from their Sinful Courses, and to engage and confirm them in contrary habits of Piety and Vertue, than any other whatsoever. Nay, even than the Joys of Heaven

it felf: it being but too too plain from experience, that it is very much Serm. z. owing to the Fears of Hell, that Men are at all at the pains of qualifying themfelves for the Joys of Heaven: and that far greater numbers are aw'd and frighten'd into their Duty by the dread of that, than allur'd and perfwaded to it, by the hope of this.

28.

First then let us confider the Certainty of Hell-Torments, or the affurance which we have that there will be a place of Torment, for the wicked, in Luc.1. another Life. And this is fo plainly afferted almoft in every page of the Gofpel: that it is utterly impoffible thata true Christian, who fincerely believes that to contain the Mind and Will of God, fhould have any the leaft doubt of it. Nay, to fuch an one, the words of my Text fingly (proceeding from our Saviour's own mouth, and being fo clear and express, as they are, in this matter) muft needs give abundant conviction.

But because (fuch is the uphappynefs of our Times!) we live in an Age when many, even of those who call € 2 them

1 Cor. 9.

20, 22.

20.

themselves Chriftians, will not be fatifSerm. 2. fy'd with Scripture Evidence: but cry out aloud for proofs from Nature and Reafon, and profefs themselves дentirely willing to fubmit and refign up themselves to thefe; I fhall, in condefcenfion to thefe Mens demands, tho' very unreasonable ones coming out of their mouths (that fo we may manifest our earnest defire, by any means, to gain them: that we may, if not Rom. 1. convince, yet leave them without excufe: and above all, that we may do Justice to the Chriftian Religion, by fhewing what an exact Harmony there is, between that and the Principles of Nature and Reafon) at prefent wholely argue from fuch proofs; and from Mens common Fears and Appre henfions of future Punishments, thei general confent to and acknowledgment of them, and the reasonableness of the thing it felf, endeavor to make it unexceptionably plain, to all un prejudic'd Perfons, that, in the fi nal iffue and event of things, it muf Pf. 9. 17. neceffarily fo be, that the wicked shal be turn'd into Hell, and all the nation. that forget God.

Th

The first thing that comes under ~ our confideration is, the common fears Serm. 2. and apprehenfions of Mankind as to future Punishments. But having, as I hope, fufficiently prov'd these in my foregoing Difcourfe, I fhall prefume that I may be excus'd from fifting any farther upon the proof of them here; efpecially confidering, that what I have there faid will receive mighty confirmation, and be no longer difputed, if there be any force in what I am now about to fay.

Secondly, Concerning the general confent and acknowledgment of Mankind, as to future Punishments, and that we may go on, in our confideration of thefe, with all poffible clearness: I fhall

First, Make proof of the matter of fact here alledg'd, that there have ever been fuch a general confent and acknowledgment of Mankind, as to future Punishments. And

Secondly, Shew how this proves the certainty of them.

First, I am to make proof of the

Serm. 2. matter of fact here alledg'd, that there have ever been fuch a general confent and acknowledgment of Mankind, as to future Punishments. And how can I do this better? than by beginning with the moft ancient Nations of the World, of which we have any account either in Sacred or Prophane Hilary, and fhewing down from them even to our own times (as far as the glimmering light of Antiquity will enable me, and the limits of my prefent Difcourfe permit) plain footsteps of fuch a confent and acknowledgment; and that too more especially among thofe Nations, which have been moft remarkably diftinguifb'd, above others, by their Politeness and Civility, their Improvements in Arts and Sciences, and their difcreet use and exercise of their Rational Faculties.

And firft, as to Sacred Hiftory tho' it cannot certainly be collected from thence, what was the belief of the Defcendants of Adam, from the time of his fall to the fettling of the Jewish Nation, as to this point: yet it is well known, that there is a very antient